Which place is cheaper, Cartagena or Seoul?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Seoul or Cartagena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Seoul and Cartagena can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Seoul or Cartagena?
Seoul
With a population of more than 11 million, Seoul is easily the largest city in South Korea. It is also the financial, political, and cultural capital of the country and has much to offer open minded travelers. It is often overlooked by travelers who instead head to Tokyo or Shanghai, but Seoul has a wide range of cultural experiences, food options, and historical sights. Seoul is a city of contrasts with ancient traditions, flashy technology, religious temples and a modern youth culture. It is also more affordable than many of the other Asian metropolis' to which it is often compared. If you're looking for an interesting and different experience that is a little off the tourist trail, Seoul can definitely offer that opportunity.
Cartagena
The capital of the Bolivar Department of Colombia, Cartagena is one of the most visited cities in the country. It sits on Colombia's northern coast by the Caribbean Sea. It's a port city with a population of almost 900,000, making it the fifth largest city in Colombia. The city has a rich history and was the first Spanish colony on the American continent. It was also one of the first sanctuaries for freed African slaves in the Americas.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to South Korea, The Best Adventure Tours to South Korea, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, and The Best Eco Tours in Colombia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySeoul $109Cartagena $48
The average daily cost (per person) in Seoul is $109, while the average daily cost in Cartagena is $48. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Seoul and Cartagena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSeoul $55Cartagena $27
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSeoul $110Cartagena $54
Compare Hotels in Seoul and Cartagena
Looking for a hotel in Seoul or Cartagena? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Seoul Hotel Prices and Cartagena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Seoul $16Cartagena $7.49
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Seoul
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Seoul:
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Subway Card$3.69
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Short Taxi Ride$5.16
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Metro Ride$0.99
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Seoul City Pass Plus$7.37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Seoul
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seoul:
- From Everland Admission Ticket with Transfer: $75
- From Half-Day MBC Dae Jang Geum Park Transfer: $55
- Incheon Airport Private Transfer between Seoul City: $98
- Private Airport Transfer * Incheon Airport <-> Seoul (1-5 people): $100
- Private Airport Transfer - Incheon Airport ⇔ Seoul (Up to 7 or 11 people): $138
- Private Airport Transfer : Gimpo airport to/from Seoul (1~7pax): $95
- Private Airport Transfer : Incheon airport to/from Seoul(~7 pax): $99
- Private Airport Transfer: Gimpo Airport to Seoul City (1-12 pax): $167
- Private Airport Transfer: Gimpo Airport to Seoul City (1-5 pax): $80
- Private Airport Transfer: Seoul City - Gimpo Airport (1-5 pax): $80
- Private Airport Transfer: Seoul City to Gimpo Airport (1-12 pax): $167
- Private Airport Transfer: Seoul City to Incheon Airport (1-5 pax): $98
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cartagena
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cartagena:
- Transfer from the Airport - Hotels in Marbella: $7.97
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Cartagena: $7.97
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Morros: $7.97
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Getsemani: $7.97
- Transfer aeropuerto-centro: $8.19
- Air Conditioning Bus transfer: $10
- Shared Transfer from the Airport to Cartagena City or Vice Versa: $10
- Cartagena Airport: Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: $10
- Cartagena:Transfer from the Airport - Hotels in the Bosque: $11
- Transfer from the Airport to Hotels in Laguito: $11
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Castillogrande: $11
- Airport transfer to any hotel in Manga: $11
Is it cheaper to fly into Seoul or Cartagena?
Prices for flights to both Cartagena and Seoul change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one daySeoul $30Cartagena $9.82
Typical Food Prices in Seoul
Some typical examples of dining costs in Seoul are as follows:
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Rice with Kimchi & Bacon$4.42
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Waffle$0.74
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Dippin' Dots$1.47
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Chicken Fried Rice$4.05
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Chicken Stick$1.47
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Drinking Yoghurt & Mi Chew$1.40
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Lunch Buffet$4.42
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Donut$0.74
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Mushroom Burger$3.83
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Green Tea Ice Cream$2.43
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Udon & Sushi$5.16
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Fresh Burger$3.54
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Soba Noodles Lunch$3.32
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Bibimbap Lunch$3.69
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Fried Rice$4.05
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Vietnamese Dinner$7.00
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Breakfast and Coffee for 2$7.00
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Donut$1.84
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Seoul
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Seoul.
- Korean Cooking @ Seoul Cooking Club!: $0.11
- Gyeongbokgung Palace : Tour, dinner and coffee: $37
- Seoul Mangwon Market Social Night Food Tour: $44
- Namdaemun Market: the Largest Traditional Market Food Tour: $47
- Namdaemun Market Street Food Tour: $48
- Gwangjang Market Netflix Food Tour: $54
- Mangwon Market Food tour By Locals;Cheap Eats to Fancy Feast: $54
- Guided City Wall Sunset Hike with Korean Dinner: $58
- Sunset Walking Tour in Naksan Park with Dinner: $58
- Half Day Seoul Afternoon Food Tour and visit 3 landMarks of Seoul: $67
- Night Market Food Tour: $70
- Energizing Korean Cooking Class in a Local Home in Seoul: $71
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cartagena
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cartagena.
- Featured in NYTimes > Arepas and Dancing: Danceable Cooking Class in Cartagena: $32
- Cooking class of typical food at the beach and sunset view: $39
- Taste Cartagena Food tour: $40
- Street Food Tour in Cartagena: $42
- Guided Street Food Tour with Tastings: $44
- Local Flavors Food Tour with Native Chef: $50
- Cooking Class: Street food & Mojito making: $50
- Cruise by the Bay with Dinner and Wine: $55
- Private Dinner at a Local Chef's House in Cartagena: $58
- Cartagena Gourmet: Cooking Class with a View, Elegance & Flavor: $59
- Street food tour: $61
- 2 hours Sibarita Express Dinner: $63
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Seoul $27Cartagena $21
Typical Entertainment Prices in Seoul
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Seoul are as follows:
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Palace Tickets$5.90
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Movie Ticket$5.90
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Kimchi Museum$2.21
Tours and Activities in Seoul
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seoul are as follows:
- Gyeongbokgung Palace Hanbok Rental Experience in Seoul: $7.00
- Seoul Changdeokgung Palace Hanbok Experience Hanboknam (내국인불가): $7.20
- [NEWTRO ART TOUR] Media art museum & walking tour: $8.00
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Skip the Line: Figure Museum W Ticket (내국인 불가): $11
- Seoul Job Experience Theme Park Ticket for Kid (내국인 불가): $13
- Dongdaemun City Tour Bus(내국인불가): $14
- 63 Aqua Planet and 63 Building Seoul Observatory Tickets: $14
- Seoul : Guided Consultation Tour (Filler, Cosmetic Surgery): $16
- Gyeongbokgung Palace Private Half-Day Tour: $19
- Virtual Tour of Korean Demilitarized Zone: $19
- Seoul Myeongdong Catholic Church Historic Private Walking Tour: $20
Tours and Activities in Cartagena
Here are a few actual costs in Cartagena for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Emeralds Tour: $0.03
- Into the Walls of The City: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Cartagena de Indias: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Artists' Quarter Getsemani Self-guided Tour: $6.35
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - The Great Battle: Fort of San Felipe: $6.99
- Old Town Highlights Self-guided Tour: $8.50
- Tour the city on a rumba in a typical bus: $9.42
- Old Town & Getsemani Quarter Self-guided Tour: $9.58
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: Pirate Tales in Cartagena: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Legends of the Streets of Downtown : $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of Getsemaní Neighborhood: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: The Rise of the Wall City Part II: $10
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySeoul $12Cartagena $9.21
Sample the Local Flavors in Seoul
Also in Seoul, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Chunpoong Makgeolli Brewery Tour: $11
- The Seoul Pub Crawl [official]: $21
- Pub Crawl: $25
- The Seoul Pub Crawl [official]: $26
- Soju Tasting at Distillery - Story of Three Pigs: $43
- Learn and Craft Makgeolli in a Traditional Brewery: $81
Sample the Local Flavors in Cartagena
Also in Cartagena, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl with Dancing Lessons and Free Shots: $19
- Cartagena's Best Pub Crawl all included!: $23
- Cartagena Pub Crawl: Let's Party & Matching in Getsemaní: $24
- Pub Crawl Only Locals Have Fun In The Walled City: $35
- Nightlife Pub crawl in Cartagena: $72
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Seoul and Cartagena, we can see that Seoul is more expensive. And not only is Cartagena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Seoul is in Asia and Cartagena is in South America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Cartagena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cartagena and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Seoul would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Seoul than you might in Cartagena.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Seoul Expensive? and Is Cartagena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Seoul or Cartagena?
Seoul has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Cartagena. When comparing the sizes of Seoul and Cartagena, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Seoul or Cartagena?
Seoul has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Cartagena experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Seoul or Cartagena in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Seoul and Cartagena. The summer months attract visitors to Seoul because of the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences. Cartagena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Seoul is cooler than Cartagena in the summer. The daily temperature in Seoul averages around 26°C (78°F) in July, and Cartagena fluctuates around 29°C (84°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Cartagena this time of the year. Seoul usually receives less sunshine than Cartagena during summer. Seoul gets 121 hours of sunny skies, while Cartagena receives 207 hours of full sun in the summer.
Seoul gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Seoul usually receives more rain than Cartagena. Seoul gets 369 mm (14.5 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySeoul 26°C (78°F)Cartagena 29°C (84°F)
Should I visit Seoul or Cartagena in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Seoul as well as Cartagena. The city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene are the main draw to Seoul this time of year. The warm climate attracts visitors to Cartagena throughout the year.
In the autumn, Seoul is much colder than Cartagena. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Seoul in October average around 15°C (59°F), and Cartagena averages at about 27°C (81°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Seoul this time of the year. In the autumn, Seoul often gets more sunshine than Cartagena. Seoul gets 204 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cartagena receives 175 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Cartagena. Seoul usually gets less rain in October than Cartagena. Seoul gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSeoul 15°C (59°F)Cartagena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Seoul or Cartagena in the Winter?
Both Cartagena and Seoul are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Seoul for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Plenty of visitors come to Cartagena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Seoul. In January, Seoul is generally much colder than Cartagena. Daily temperatures in Seoul average around -3°C (27°F), and Cartagena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
It's quite sunny in Cartagena. Seoul usually receives less sunshine than Cartagena during winter. Seoul gets 163 hours of sunny skies, while Cartagena receives 278 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Seoul usually receives more rain than Cartagena. Seoul gets 23 mm (0.9 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySeoul -3°C (27°F)Cartagena 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Seoul or Cartagena in the Spring?
Both Cartagena and Seoul during the spring are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Seoul in the spring for the activities around the city. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Cartagena year-round.
Seoul is much colder than Cartagena in the spring. The daily temperature in Seoul averages around 13°C (55°F) in April, and Cartagena fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
In Cartagena, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Seoul. In the spring, Seoul often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Cartagena. Seoul gets 205 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Cartagena receives 209 hours of full sun.
Seoul usually gets more rain in April than Cartagena. Seoul gets 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Cartagena receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSeoul 13°C (55°F)Cartagena 28°C (82°F)
Typical Weather for Cartagena and Seoul
| Seoul | Cartagena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -3°C (27°F) | 23 mm (0.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | -0°C (32°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Mar | 6°C (42°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 13°C (55°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 18°C (65°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 50 mm (2 in) |
| Jun | 23°C (73°F) | 134 mm (5.3 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Jul | 26°C (78°F) | 369 mm (14.5 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Aug | 26°C (80°F) | 294 mm (11.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (71°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Oct | 15°C (59°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| Nov | 8°C (46°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) |
| Dec | 0°C (33°F) | 22 mm (0.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.